The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility Spending on Firm Performance with Earnings Management as a Moderating Variable: Evidence from the Indian Market

This study seeks to examine the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) spending on firm performance (FP) and supplementary examine the contraction effect of CSR spending and earning management (EM) on the FP in the setting of Indian companies. The sample size employed in this study is 82 companies from S&P BSE 100 index during 2015&–2021. Further, Tobin&’s Q is used as an indicator for measuring the FP. The modified Jones model is employed as a proxy to quantify EM in the form of discretionary accruals (DACC). The methodological model for analysis followed in the work is pooled ordinary least square. The study reveals pragmatic evidence that enterprises engaged in the exercise of EM have no encouragement in CSR spending. In addition to this, the second hypothesis, based on EM, CSR, and earnings management, negatively influences FP in the Indian context. The results of this research will be of certain interest to business owners who want to gauge the efficacy of directors&’ and managers&’ sustainability choices, as well as investors and public authorities who want to evaluate the positive correlation between CSR and a company&’s performance and image, and therefore, the favorable impact on the firm&’s performance.